


The Cat By The Window

by junetyp, Seventeenteenteen (SeokminnieSmile)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Café, Cat, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junetyp/pseuds/junetyp, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeokminnieSmile/pseuds/Seventeenteenteen
Summary: Wonwoo trudged through the gloomy Bochum weather that reflected his mood until a gorgeous white cat sitting by the window caught his eye and ever since that day, he would peer into the window in hopes of seeing that cat until one day it wasn't there anymore. Enter Kim Mingyu, the only thing other than the cat that could lift his mood.





	The Cat By The Window

**15°C**

The wind was more unforgiving than Wonwoo had expected. He wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, bracing himself against the gusts of cold wind. He was never a fan of the cold, and it didn’t help that it was an 8 am class that he was going to with the most annoying professor he’d ever met. He stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets in another desperate attempt to keep warm.

Jeon Wonwoo, aged 22, just moved to Bochum a month ago and started studying at a local university. There was nothing good about this godforsaken place, save for the large park that surrounded his housing area that looked beautiful in autumn surrounded by the array of colourful fallen leaves.

Humming along to the music blasting through his earphones, Wonwoo took in his surroundings as he walked to the underground station. He passed by a window but stopped when he saw something white moving. He walked closer up to inspect it and found that it was a white cat sitting on the windowsill, stretching after a nap. The cat blinks back at him and a small smile found its way onto Wonwoo’s lips. Seeing the cat somehow made his day better and Wonwoo continued his walk to the station feeling a little less gloomy than before. 

**20°C**

The interior of the cafe was warm, with the aroma of coffee and the scent of freshly baked goods lingering in the air. Kim Mingyu wiped the counter down whilst staring at the people walking past, the cold temperature outside was making everyone walk faster than usual.

Business was slow today. Albeit the sudden bout of coldness, there weren’t many people stopping by for a warm drink, let alone people sitting down to enjoy it. Only the lady with the cute schnauzer was sitting in her usual corner, quietly sipping on a cup of hot coffee while reading today’s newspaper. He half wanted to go home and curl up in his blankets, but he didn’t really want to leave the warm and cosy shop either. Plus, he needed the money for new clothes.

“A cup of mocha please.” A deep voice broke Mingyu’s reverie. 

Mingyu was faced with a man who had half of his face buried in a  _ huge _ scarf, glasses fogging up from the cranked up heaters of the store. 

“Anything else?” Mingyu asked as he proceeded to key in the man’s order into the system.

“Nope, that’s all,” the man answered, hand reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet. 

“Having here or to go?” Mingyu prayed that the man would stay. It would be more company than the old lady who never spoke a word to him despite coming almost every day. 

“Having here.“ Mingyu’s heart cheered silently at that.

“All right, that will be 2.75 Euros.” Mingyu held back a little shiver as the man’s cold fingertips touched his warm ones when he was taking the money. He handed over the receipt and the man made his way to the nearest table, waiting for Mingyu to prepare his order.

The silent hum of the coffee machine and steady drip-drop of coffee into its mug, it didn’t take long for Mingyu to finish Wonwoo’s order. He decided to place a cookie on the tray too, deciding that he should reward the man for staying. 

**14°C**  

A new day but the same schedule; Wonwoo stepped out of the comfort of his warm home, pulling the hood of his parka up to shield himself from the slight drizzle of rain. He shivered, regretting not stuffing a heat pack or two into his pockets before heading out. He was a bit early so he decided to plodge slowly to the underground station, which was only a mere five minutes walk away from his house. Wonwoo had never been so grateful, the cold weather made the short distance seem like a godsend.

He passed by the window again and, out of a newly formed habit, turned his head to peer into the window hoping to see the same white cat sitting on the windowsill people watching or sleeping. To his dismay, there was nothing but a box containing a royal blue pillow that it was usually curled up on. The cat was probably napping next to the heater, but Wonwoo felt something amiss in his heart; just like that, the already drudgy weather became a shade greyer.

Unlike himself, at least the cat would be warm, Wonwoo thought to himself as he continued the walk to the underground station.

**22°C**

Mingyu tried to stay as silent as possible as he walked in from the back of the lecture hall. He was late no thanks to a customer who accidentally spilt coffee all over the counter. He had to clean up the counter  _ and _ make them another cup of coffee and it didn’t help that Jeonghan, the other part-timer, was late again. 

“Sorry, excuse me,” Mingyu whispered, head bowed in shame as he found a spot at the back of the classroom next to the heaters. It was going to be warm and stuffy, sitting so close to the heater but he couldn’t bear the thought of the lecturer side-eyeing his late entrance anymore. 

The dark haired boy next to him pulled his chair closer to the table so that Mingyu had enough space to get through and plopped himself in the seat next to his. Mingyu realized that it was the same person from that day at the coffee shop, his prominent features etched deeply into Mingyu’s memories. Everyone likes good-looking people, and in Mingyu’s defence, that day was uneventful so it was only natural that he remembered Wonwoo who had been a bit out of place yet so fitting in the small cafe, all cosied up in his thick jacket and scarf while he sipped on his mug of mocha. 

“Sorry, did you catch what the lecturer was saying before I came in? Something came up at work and I ended up late…” Mingyu tapped at his neighbour’s shoulder, trying to get his attention.

“He was just reminding us that all assignments have to be handed in before the end of this week with a complete list of references we used. That’s about it. He came in late today too,” the man replied, his deep voice sounding melodious to Mingyu’s ears.

Mingyu nodded and thanked him, glad that he hasn’t missed anything significant. The class droned on and on for another hour and Mingyu was frazzled when the lecture was finally over.

“Hey, this is a little out of the blue but, may I know your name?” Mingyu turned around to ask hastily as he packed away his stuff.

“Jeon Wonwoo,” Wonwoo replied while packing away his own things.  

“Ah, I’m Kim Mingyu by the way. You came to the coffee shop that I work at the other day and you’re coincidentally in the same class as me so I got curious,” he rambled, adding a small chuckle at the end. Shit, stop rambling Mingyu, you’re going to make a fool of yourself. 

“Yeah, I remember you. The tall barista. Thanks for the cookie by the way.” Wonwoo gave him a nose-crinkling smile and Mingyu nearly melted at the sight. 

“No problem,” Mingyu said and flashed an equally gorgeous grin that stirred up something in Wonwoo.

**18°C**

Today would be a good day; Mingyu woke up feeling refreshed and just had a gut feeling that something good would happen today. So far, it seemed like his gut feeling was right because the cafe had a steady trickle of customers his entire shift and Jeonghan hadn’t overslept today so he’d be on time. Mingyu was returning to the counter after serving a customer their drink when he heard the bell on the door chime signalling someone entering. His head turned with a smile on his face, ready to greet whoever had walked in and he saw Wonwoo stood there, nose and cheeks bitten red by the cold weather. 

“Wonwoo, hi,” Mingyu greeted with a wave, smile widening just a little. 

“Hello, Mingyu,” Wonwoo replied with a small smile of his own. 

Mingyu went back behind the counter while Wonwoo found an unoccupied table to set down his belongings. “What can I get for you today?” Mingyu asked as soon as Wonwoo approached the counter. 

Wonwoo hummed as his eyes skimmed through the menu that was largely displayed on the wall behind the counter, pictures and all. “What would you recommend?” He asked Mingyu. 

“Well, I can make a good americano if you’d like,” Mingyu suggested, smile still on his face. 

The other nodded. “I’ll take that then,” he declared before paying. “Uhm, I was also wondering if you’d like to go to class together. I can wait for you.” 

Mingyu’s eyes widened a bit in surprise but he nodded. “Sure!” He answered perkily and a little too quickly. “My shift is ending soon and we can head out as soon as the other guy gets here.” 

Wonwoo nodded before heading back to his seat and Mingyu started preparing his drink. He took out his laptop and worked on some essays as he waited. He saw the white cat again today so he was feeling more upbeat than usual which was what made him ask Mingyu if they could go to class together. 

His thoughts of the cute white cat were interrupted as Mingyu set down his drink on his table, a cookie neatly placed on the saucer. “Is it really okay for you to be giving me free cookies?” Wonwoo asked, head tilted up to look at the other. “I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for it.” 

Mingyu chuckled. “It’s fine,” he assured. “We’ll just keep this between the both of us.” He winked before walking off. 

**24°C**

The heaters in the lecture hall were on full blast, and Wonwoo could feel an impending headache from the stuffiness. He tugged on the collar of his shirt uncomfortably, feeling like a fish out of water. He shifted in his seat, trying to will away the headiness. The action caught Mingyu’s eye and soon he was all over Wonwoo, asking if he was okay.

“It’s nothing. Just too stuffy in here I feel like I can’t breathe.” Wonwoo tugged at his collar again. He regretted wearing a turtleneck, the weather wasn’t  _ that _ cold anyway. The temperature difference indoors and outdoors was always a personal hell for Wonwoo.

“Just close your eyes and rest a bit, there’s only a few minutes left before we can get out of here.” Mingyu gently patted the other’s head in an attempt to comfort him. Wonwoo’s hair was soft against Mingyu’s fingers, and he vowed to find a hundred and one reasons to play with Wonwoo’s hair from now onwards. 

Wonwoo hummed and proceeded to lay his head on his arms that were folded on the table, making sure to prop open a book in front of him to hide from the lecturer’s view. Mingyu’s touch was comforting and it was reminiscent of what his mum used to do to him when he was a child, gently coaxing him to sleep.

The lecture ended five minutes early and Mingyu was left staring at Wonwoo’s sleeping profile for a full five minutes. He contemplated on how to wake up the sleeping boy, but he couldn’t really bring himself to disturb Wonwoo He was sleeping so peacefully and without thinking, Mingyu took out his phone and snapped a picture. 

“Hey Wonwoo, class is over,” Mingyu said in a soft voice as he gently shook Wonwoo’s shoulder lightly as to not startle him. But Wonwoo did not respond. 

“Wonwoo….” Mingyu shook the boy’s shoulder again, this time a little harder. Wonwoo grunted and blinked open his eyes blearily. If sleeping Wonwoo was a peaceful Wonwoo, then half awake Wonwoo would be the cutest Wonwoo Mingyu had ever seen and his heart was clenching a little at this sight.

“Class is over. Do you want to grab something to eat before our next class?” Mingyu asked as he stood up from his seat and turned to Wonwoo for an answer.

“A coffee would be nice. And a bagel. “ Wonwoo replied, smiling. 

“Great! Let’s go to the cafe then. I get an employee discount there.” Mingyu winked and helped Wonwoo pack up his stuff before they left the already empty classroom.

Wonwoo watched Mingyu work the coffee machine with a sense of familiarity and a sort of elegance. He knows Mingyu is a clumsy giant who accidentally dropped his _opened_ pencil case on the floor, resulting in his pens rolling all over their university hallway within a day of knowing him. On that same day, he took Wonwoo’s notes back home without noticing it, only to return it to Wonwoo the next morning, an apologetic look on his face.

“I didn’t mean to take your notes. I was busy packing up my stuff to rush for my shift. I’m so sorry, Wonwoo,” Mingyu whined, much like a puppy. Thank goodness there were no tests or Wonwoo would’ve seriously freaked out. 

“Here’s your Americano and bagel,” Mingyu announced as he set down the tray of food in front of him before plopping down onto the seat opposite of Wonwoo. 

“Thanks, Mingyu.” Wonwoo picked the mug of coffee and took a large gulp of it, feeling revitalised already from the rush of caffeine. Mingyu really makes a good cup of coffee, he thinks offhandedly. 

**12°C**

As they approached winter, the temperature steadily dropped just like the leaves from trees. And so was Wonwoo’s motivation to go to class; he found it harder and harder to wake up each day. The sun wasn’t even up when his alarm rang! What made it even harder to bear was the fact that the cat by the window wasn’t there anymore. It’s pillow was still there, mocking the absence of its owner. It made him feel a bit down that the cat wasn’t there to offer comfort from the whipping winds as he dragged himself to class every morning.

He trudged into the lecture hall, sniffling from the chilly weather outside. Another day, another boring lecture, he thought. He had no idea why he even signed up for this class, a few extra credits definitely wasn’t worth dragging himself out of his warm bed. 

“Your daily caffeine fix by Kim Mingyu.” He heard a familiar cheery voice say. He groaned and looked up. Wonwoo seriously wondered where Mingyu got all the energy from this early in the morning.  

“Thanks. Needed that very much.” Wonwoo wrapped his slender fingers gingerly around the cup before taking a sip of the bitter drink. Soon enough, he felt warm and a little more energized to face the hell that would come.

“Have you started on the essay Professor Schmidt assigned on Monday?” 

“Halfway done,” Mingyu mumbled, pouting a little. 

“You should really stop procrastinating and work on that soon. Deadline’s in three days Mingyu.” Wonwoo chuckled at the other’s pout. 

_ Cute.  _

“But you know I suck at this subject! I don’t even know why I picked this in the first place.”

“Stop whining and I’ll help you with it,” Wonwoo offered and was startled by his own words. 

Really, Jeon Wonwoo, get a brain-to-mouth filter. He was just about to take back his words when he saw the relieved look Mingyu was sporting and decided that, maybe, it would be easier with two brains working together. It helped that his partner was good looking and Wonwoo’s attraction towards him, acknowledged or not, was growing stronger by the day. 

“We’ll work on it at the cafe then,” he said and smiled at the other. 

**11°C**

After class, they packed up and Wonwoo was walking towards the cafe but Mingyu decided he was sick of the food there. “Why don’t we go somewhere else? There’s a nice restaurant near my place.” 

“Sure,” Wonwoo replied. “I’m just really hungry.” 

Mingyu laughed. “Same, I didn’t have time for breakfast today.” 

The two made light conversation, discussing their various pending projects and how stressed out they both were. Their conversation somehow ended up with them agreeing to going out for a drink after they’ve handed in all their work. Mingyu was easy to talk to and he easily made Wonwoo laugh. He was a bit of a clutz but Wonwoo thought it was cute. Maybe he was falling a little too hard. 

They were walking down the familiar street that Wonwoo took to get to the train station and Mingyu was talking about a customer attempting to flirt with him at the cafe the other day when Wonwoo suddenly halted. Confused, Mingyu stopped and looked at the other. “Wonwoo, what’s wrong?” He asked, concerned after seeing the crestfallen look on Wonwoo’s face. 

“The cat…” Wonwoo whispered. “Why isn’t it here anymore?” 

“Snow likes sitting next to the heater when it’s cold out.”

“Oh, I see—Wait, Snow?” Wonwoo’s head shot around to see a grinning Mingyu. “You know the cat?” 

The other couldn’t help himself, he let out a laugh. “Wonwoo, I live here. Snow is my cat.” 

Wonwoo’s eyes widened, his surprise evident on his face. “Your cat?” He repeated. 

The other nodded. “Yes, she’s my cat,” he confirmed. “Do you wanna see her? Come inside and I’ll cook for us.” 

“But what about the restaurant you wanted to go to?” 

“We can go another time, don’t worry.” Mingyu grinned before he walking towards the door to his house and unlocking it. 

**23°C**

“Snow!” Mingyu called out as he set down his bag by the door and shook off his coat before hanging it up. 

A white cat trotted out of one of the rooms and over to them and Wonwoo swore it was the most beautiful cat he’d ever seen. Perhaps his eyes watered a bit at the sight of Mingyu picking up Snow and cooing at her because it was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. Wonwoo set down his bag next to Mingyu’s and hung up his coat. 

“Why don’t you play with her while I cook?” Mingyu suggested, turning his head to look at Wonwoo who was looking at him tenderly and not responding. “Wonwoo?” 

“Uh-yeah!” He snapped out of his reverie, ears and cheeks turning a little red from being caught staring. 

Mingyu carefully handed Snow over to Wonwoo. She immediately snuggled against his chest, craving the warmth his body provided. With a satisfied smile, Mingyu went off to prepare some food for them while Wonwoo happily cuddled Snow. 

“What do you wanna eat?” Mingyu called out from where he was standing in the kitchen, hunched down peering into the fridge. 

“Do you have ramyeon?” Wonwoo asked. “I feel like eating ramyeon.” 

Of course, Mingyu would have ramyeon in his home. He set out to cook the best damn ramyeon Jeon Wonwoo would ever eat in his life as said man was sat on the ground playing with Snow. 

“Wonwoo! Food’s ready! Stop playing with Snow!” Mingyu shouted from the kitchen as he placed the two bowls of hot ramyeon on the dining table. 

“It’s not me who doesn’t want to let go, it’s Snow whos clinging to me.” Wonwoo jokingly whined, clutching Snow as he walked into the kitchen. 

Mingyu swore his heart skipped a beat when he saw the cute pout on Wonwoo’s lips. He looked so cute holding onto Snow and Mingyu concluded that the sight of them both would be permanently seared onto his memory. 

“Wonwoo, you clearly don't have the heart to put her down.” Mingyu chuckled. Wonwoo shot him a defensive look and looked down tenderly at Snow who was still in his arms. He really wanted to continue cuddling the cat but he had to eat. If only he had a third hand… Wonwoo’s eyes trailed towards Mingyu and he stared at the boy, a solution popping into his mind.

“What are you staring at, Wonwoo?” Mingyu asked, eyebrow raised in question. 

“Feed me.”

“What?!”

“You heard me, since I have no extra hands to eat whilst holding Snow, you can help me by feeding me, ” Wonwoo explained and shot the other a proud grin. 

God, how could Jeon Wonwoo be so demanding yet cute at the same time? He sighed and picked up the pair of chopsticks lying next to the bowl, motioning for Wonwoo to sit next to him. The boy opened up his mouth as Mingyu lifted the chopsticks near his mouth, hands stroking Snow contently as he chewed.

“Ish naish…” Wonwoo mumbled. Mingyu raised his brow at the incoherent sentence.

“I said, it’s nice. You’re a good cook Mingyu.” There it was again, the eye crinkling, nose scrunching smile that the other always showed when he was really  _ truly _ happy.

“Thank you. It’s just ramyeon though. I can make a mean kimchi jiggae too.” Mingyu winked. Guess the old saying ‘To capture a man’s heart you must first capture his stomach’ was true all the time huh.

The pair, and the cat, ate in silence, Mingyu alternating between shoving mouthfuls of ramyeon into his own mouth and patiently feeding Wonwoo. Everything was so warm and fluffy to the extent that he wished that everyday could be like this.

_ It could be, if Wonwoo was his…. _

**8°C**

“Thank you for lunch! I'd like to come over again to play with Snow if that's alright with you.” Wonwoo said timidly, bundling himself in a huge grey scarf. The sun was setting earlier and the temperature after night fell was colder than ever. 

“You can pop by anytime! We can work on our coursework together too.” It would be a good chance to be closer to you, Mingyu thought.

Wonwoo nodded, eyes shining with delight. He stepped forward shyly and gave Mingyu a hug. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Mingyu hummed and hugged him back tightly.

Maybe there was some hope after all.

**9°C**

It was raining heavily when Wonwoo stepped out of the lecture hall. He’d learnt that when winter arrived in Bochum, it brought along with it wind and rain. He hated the cold and paired together with rain, it was a personal nightmare for him. Dejected, he pulled up the hood of his hoodie, hoping that the rain wouldn’t worsen and soak him before he managed to get ot the cafe. 

It wasn’t long before he burst through the doors of the cafe, startling some of its customers who had been peacefully sipping on their mugs of warm coffee before his arrival. He bowed his head down in embarrassment, not meaning to enter the establishment in such a dramatic way, and mumbled an apology before heading to the counter. 

“Would you like a cup of hot chocolate? I’ll be off in a few minutes.” Mingyu asked as he made his way to the counter. He nodded in response. The rain was chilling and he could feel his joints protesting against the cold that seeped through his clothes. 

“Coming right up.” Mingyu grinned as he announced, pulling a white paper cup from the stack next to the counter. 

Minutes later, they were both walking together, shoulders bumping, huddling under Mingyu’s tiny umbrella back to the taller’s place. It was closer than Wonwoo’s house and they had a project to work on anyways. Wonwoo held on to his cup of hot chocolate tightly, trying to get some warmth from it. 

“Come closer to me, you’re gonna get wet if you stray further, Wonu-ya.” Mingyu said, arm wrapping around Wonwoo’s shoulders to pull him even closer.

“Wonu-ya?” Wonwoo repeated. 

“It’s cute isn’t it? You’re quite like Snow in some ways, Wonu-ya.” Wonwoo shook his head at Mingyu’s words. He’d gotten used to the other suddenly saying random things. It usually doesn’t make any sense and he’d learn to leave him be. 

“Home sweet home.” Mingyu exclaimed in relief as they toed off their boots at the doorway. Snow lifted her head up from her pillow by the window, yawning at them in greeting.

“Hi Snow.” Wonwoo cooed at the cat, leaving his bag forgotten by the doorway. It was always mood-lifting to see the beautiful white cat.

“Wonwoo, I swear you’re here more to play with Snow than to finish off the project.”

“Snow is the main priority and the project is just a side dish, Mingyu.” Wonwoo said, his face serious as he held Snow, rubbing his chin against her head. “Plus you're a good added bonus too,” Wonwoo added. 

Mingyu blinked. Did Wonwoo just… “Well, I don't mind having you around either,” Mingyu said, a smile on his face. 

“Good to know I'm not a bother to you.” Wonwoo joked with a smile of his own. 

“You're definitely not a bother,” Mingyu said as he took a few steps to stand right in front of Wonwoo. “In fact, I love having you around. I love seeing you everyday, Wonwoo.” 

Wonwoo gulped nervously at Mingyu's close proximity, not knowing where this would go but knowing where he wanted it to. “T-that's great cause I like seeing you too, Gyu.”

“Oh yeah?” Mingyu inched even closer, their noses lightly brushing against each other's. “You sure you're not coming around just for Snow?” 

“No, I come for you Mingyu,” Wonwoo managed to get out before Mingyu was closing the gap between them and placing his lips on his. 

It was natural, feeling Mingyu’s lips on his. It was as if they were meant for each other, fitting together like puzzle pieces. It felt like he was coming home, the homely scent of Mingyu surrounding his entire being. In this new, foreign city the last thing he expected was to find a place where he could return to and call home. Mingyu was his home, his querencia from the dragging university lectures and endless projects.

“I like you, Wonwoo. Be my boyfriend?” Mingyu breathed out, leaning his forehead against Wonwoo’s. He could see the slight tint of pink on Wonwoo’s cheeks, his usually cold expression (his default expression, Wonwoo called it) was now a cute embarrassed one. His lips were swollen and Mingyu was lowkey proud that he was the cause of it.

“Only if I get shared custody of Snow.” Wonwoo joked with a wink as Mingyu pouted.

“Alright, deal.” 

Wonwoo giggled as Mingyu leaned in to place a peck on his lips again, only to be interrupted by a small mew. They’d completely forgotten that Snow was still clutched in Wonwoo’s arms, held in between them. They looked at Snow and giggled, project long forgotten and hearts warm with love.

**3°C**

Wonwoo was never someone who was big on Christmas. His family never did much, just had a quiet dinner and exchanged gifts. Mingyu, no surprise, was big on Christmas and basically any festivity. He had insisted the two of them spent the day together cozied up with Snow and binge watch some Christmas movies; not to forget, gift exchanging with each other. 

They didn’t have a fancy feast, neither one of them had the money for it. They settled for some fried chicken, made by Mingyu, and hot chocolate, also made by Mingyu. Both had been delicious and being in each other’s company had made it taste even better. The both of them chatted while they ate, they talked about all sorts of things; from their families to the worst prank they’d ever pulled. The weather outside was cold but in here, in Mingyu’s home, they were both full of warmth. 

Wonwoo felt so full, not just from the food, but from love. Was this what it was like to be so in love with someone? Just the thought of Mingyu could make him smile so wide the corners of his mouth hurt. Mingyu always looked at Wonwoo with such a tender look, it made him blush. They were so disgustingly in love and the both of them wanted it to stay this way always. 

“Hyung, you go first since you’re older,” Mingyu said. After months of knowing each other, Mingyu finally found out Wonwoo was older than him and had started calling him hyung although the other had insisted it wasn’t necessary. 

Wonwoo reached into his bag to pull out the Mingyu’s gift. It was long and sleek, wrapped in a typical green and red Christmas wrapping paper. “Here,” he said as he shyly handed it over to Mingyu whose eyes were lit up and was looking like an overexcited puppy. “I hope you like it.”

Mingyu’s grinned at the older. “I’ll love anything you give me, hyung,” he said confidently. 

He, as carefully as possible, unwrapped the gift and set the now ruined wrapping paper aside. The box was black and it definitely looked like it costed quite a bit. Mingyu gently took off the lid and inside it, he found a gorgeous black watch. It was simple and Mingyu loved it. 

“I figured you wouldn’t want a watch that was too flashy because it would be hard to pair with outfits so I got you something plain,” Wonwoo explained, feeling a little nervous at the thought that Mingyu might not like the gift. 

“Hyung, I love it so much,” Mingyu said sincerely. He was grinning from ear to ear and he leaned over to peck the other on the lips. “Thank you.” 

Wonwoo was blushing now. “You’re welcome,” he mumbled. 

“Okay, my turn!” Mingyu announced as he handed over Wonwoo’s gift. 

It was so nicely wrapped with a bow on it, Wonwoo almost didn’t have the heart to unwrap it. He admired it for a few seconds before carefully tearing it, trying his best to preserve it which Mingyu thought was cute. Unwrapping it revealed a leather bound journal with Wonwoo’s name engraved on it. 

“Open it,” Mingyu encouraged. 

The other flipped it open to see Mingyu’s handwriting on the first page; it was a list of things he wanted to do with Wonwoo and including things like going to Paris together which was doable and bringing Wonwoo home to meet his parents. At the bottom of the list, a little sentimental note. 

_ Dear Wonwoo, thank you for agreeing to spend Christmas with me. I hope we’ll spend it together again next year and the year after that and all the years after that. Thank you for coming into my life. I love you so much. - Mingyu _

“D-do you like it?” The previously confidence in Mingyu had ebbed as Wonwoo remained silent. 

“I-I love it,” Wonwoo choked out. He turned to his boyfriend, tears in his eyes. “I love you, Gyu.” 

Mingyu’s look of concern was replaced with a tender smile as he pulled the other in for a hug. “I love you too,” he whispered into Wonwoo’s ear before pulling away to give him a chaste kiss. 

“I-I actually have something for Snow too,” Wonwoo said. He reached into his bag to pull out a pink collar with Snow’s name on it. “I noticed her current one was getting a little worn so I decided to get her a new one.”

“Oh, this is so cute!” Mingyu said as he held it in his hands. He handed it back to Wonwoo. “You put it on her, hyung.” 

Wonwoo nodded before reaching over to Snow and unclasping her current collar to put on the new one. “It looks nice,” he said, smiling. 

“Yeah, it does.” 

“Hey, Mingyu?” 

“Hmm?”

“I really love you, you know?” 

“Yeah, I really love you too.


End file.
